John Muir Trail hiking photographs

Photographs from a two week backpacking trip covering the north half (100 miles) of the John Muir Trail, from Yosemite Valley to Mono Pass in California's Sierra Nevada mountains in the summer of 1970.

Place identifications (except one!) are based on memory and map-assisted reconstruction. There are a few pictures from other hiking trips where noted.

I hope they show what the backcountry of the Sierras looks like and inspire you to visit there if you get the chance. It's the most beautiful region I've ever visited and my favorite place on Earth. People in the photos are blurred or rendered as silhouettes, which gives a few of the photos and all of the people a strange appearance.

Click any thumbnail to view the full size image. Most are only about 70 KB and load in a few seconds.

Each hyperlink in the text below goes to the corresponding Topo Map view at TerraServer. It's easy to switch between Topo and Aerial Photo view, adjust the picture size, and zoom in (very close) or out. To open TerraServer in a new window, Ctrl+Click on the link.

There is an amazingly good set of topographic maps at Dascalos.net.

Half Dome, from the back (east) side, after climbing up from our first night camp in Little Yosemite Valley where we saw the only bear of the trip.	Near Sunrise Creek?	Sunrise Meadow or Long Meadow with mountain range in the distance.	Approaching Long Meadow, looking toward north end of the Cathedral Range and Cathedral Pass.
In Long Meadow looking north or northeast. Echo Peaks at center, Matthes Crest to right of them.	In Long Meadow looking east.	Probably in Long Meadow looking southeast. Maybe this is Echo Lake?	Cathedral Peak.
One of the Cathedral Lakes.	Probably the Lyell Fork of the Tuolumne River.	Tuolumne River, Lyell Fork.	Mt. Lyell, Mt. Maclure from Lyell Canyon, with our destination, Donohue Pass to left of them but hidden.
Mt. Lyell, Mt. Maclure far right. Donohue Pass is around the bend to the left.	Likely Mt. Lyell and Lyell Glacier. I probably took this picture to capture the glacial polish, the large expanse of shiny rock below the middle peak, and the pretty meadow in the cirque valley below.	Southern end of Kuna Crest leading to Kuna Peak on the right (to south). Its color and erosion pattern look oddly out of place.	Nearing Donohue Pass, looking north back down Lyell Canyon where we came from. Kuna Crest flanks the right side of the canyon.
Donohue Pass. Absolutely, positively, no doubt about it.	Peak above Donohue Pass. Based on position of the sun, we must be looking east, making this Donohue Peak.	South end of Koip Crest (Kuna Peak is off to the left). East side of Donohue Pass has a different character from the lushly vegatated west side.	East side of Donohue Pass. Looks like Kuna or Koip Crest and either Kuna Peak or Blacktop Peak just peeking above the ridge on the right.
East side of Donohue Pass. Donohue Peak on the left, Koip Crest on the right.	Lunch break between Donohue Pass and Island Pass. Donohue Peak on left, Blacktop Peak on right.	Banner Peak viewed from the east end of Thousand Island Lake.	From Garnet Lake, a peek down the green valley that leads to Agnew Meadows.
Banner Peak viewed from the east end of Garnet Lake. (On this map, the approximate location of Steve Fosset's plane crash was southeast of Minaret Mine.)	Probably looking southeast at Mammoth Crest from near Reds Meadow where we picked up our food cache. Our 45 pound packs took some getting used to.	Beautiful view from Red Cones south of Reds Meadow looking east toward Mammoth Crest. It looks like we're standing in front of a mural!	View from Red Cones, probably Pumice Butte to the south. The Red Cones are beautiful red volcanic cinder cones.
View to the northeast from Red Cones. The pyramidal peak 1/3 from left is Ritter Peak. Just to its right is Banner Peak.	Possibly looking down Cascade Valley toward the Silver Divide in the far distance.	Assuming the sun is in the southwest, we're looking north, possibly viewing the entire route we've traveled.	Lake Virginia with distant Graveyard Peak framed by the pass to the left.
Looking toward the Silver Divide. Exciting looking country with a beautiful meadow, Tully Hole, in the valley, Horse Heaven, through which runs Fish Creek.	From same spot as previous picture (see tree branch). Red Slate Mountain, McGee Pass, and Red and White Mountain in the distance.	Red Slate Mountain, McGee Pass, and Red and White Mountain viewed probably from Red and White Lake. [Photo is from a different hike to this area.]	Squaw Lake or Chief Lake north of Silver Pass.

Looking north from Silver Pass on lakes that could be Warrior Lake, Chief Lake, Papoose Lake, and Lake of the Lone Indian.	Looking south from Silver Pass. The horseshoe shaped feature may be the north (back) side of Vermillion Cliffs.	Panorama south from Silver Pass with the same horseshoe feature as previous.

These eroded cliffs must be visible from near Silver Pass, but appear to be unnamed.	Silver Pass Lake on south side of Silver Pass. We will hike down the valley and turn left at the ridge, up Mono Creek.	Waterfall between Silver Pass and Mono Creek. Dry because it's midsummer.	The "quaking aspen trees" along Mono Creek. When a breeze shakes the leaves, they shimmer in the sunlight.
Along Mono Creek, east of Quail Meadows and Edison Lake.	Hiking east along Mono Creek.	Along Mono Creek.	Framed in the U are likely, at left, Mt. Hopkins with Mt. Huntington behind. Mt. Starr distant at right. Mono Rock is likely the last hill in front of Mt. Starr. Mono Pass will be around the last bend behind Mono Rock.
En route to Mono Pass and Mt. Starr. Series of hills leading to Mt. Hopkins at far right.	En route to Mono Pass and Mt. Starr.	Trees leveled by avalanche?	Looking back at Mono Rock (left), Mono Creek valley below, and the Grizzly Paw in Mt. Hopkins to right of the valley.
Golden Lake north of Mono Pass, with Mt. Starr's north ridge behind it.	To the right of the previous picture. Mt. Starr viewed from Golden Lake. [Photo from different hike.]	Golden Lake with Half Moon Pass above it. It looks unclimbable to me now, but we climbed it on a later hike (see below).	Intimidating looking Mt. Abbot, looking south from Mono Pass.
Mt. Starr summit from Mono Pass. As I recall, it took an hour to climb Mt. Starr. The "rocks" on its top are the size of cars.	Another example of deceptive distances and sizes. These are not tiny people, but normal sized people farther away than you'd think.	Starting to climb Mt. Starr against the backdrop of Mt. Abbot.	Northwest from Mt. Starr summit. Left rounded peak with snow is Red Slate or Red and White Mountain, with McGee Pass to its right. The ridge at right of photo includes Mt. Huntington and Mt. Morgan (the northern one of apparently two in this region).

The drive from the trailhead down to Tom's Place was "terrifying". After two weeks of hiking, 20 mph seemed faster than people were ever meant to travel!

Additional pictures

An alternate route east from Golden Lake to Rock Creek goes over Mt. Starr's north ridge via Half Moon Pass above the east shore of Golden Lake. These pictures are from a different hike where we took that route. The various views that "might be" of Half Moon Pass (here and in the set above), I am unable to reconcile with each other or even with the topo map unless the lake level varies wildly. The climb was a steep rock scramble, not vertical, strenuous but do-able for our group of teenagers (8th-10th grade). We didn't use ropes or other climbing hardware. The significant hazard was from many falling rocks dislodged by climbers above.

From Lower Hopkins Lake?, sunset on Mono Rock at center, with Third Recess to its right and Fourth Recess and the Mt. Starr ridge to left and behind? If so, Half Moon Pass is in the ridge, but maybe to left of photo.	Entrance to Half Moon Pass above Golden Lake?? It doesn't seem nearly high enough above the lake, but distances and sizes are difficult to judge.	In Half Moon Pass.	A little higher in Half Moon Pass.
East (Rock Creek) side of Mt. Starr ridge, probably looking up at Half Moon Pass where we've been.	Near previous, Mosquito Flat?